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Following the practice initiated six years ago to reduce the environmental impact generated by its activities, the Foundation has continued to work with the Ecology and Development Foundation (ECODES) to offset the carbon footprint resulting from the activities carried out during the Princess of Asturias Awards Week. This commitment has resulted in the Princess of Asturias Awards once again being awarded the Zero CO2 emissions Eco-label they have boasted since 2012.

The global CO2 emissions from the activities organized by the Foundation on the occasion of the Awards experienced an overall reduction of 57 tonnes between 2011 and 2014, with a significant improvement in the indicators being evaluated. There has been a reduction in the use of means of transport with greater impact (commercial airplanes) and a significant increase in the emissions of buses and trains that reflects more frequent use of public means of transport with a lower environmental impact. Moreover, there has been a substantial reduction in emissions related to the consumption of paper and an increase in the use of recycled paper, as an example of the Foundation’s commitment to caring for the environment, in general, and Asturias and its natural surroundings, in particular.

As in previous years, the Foundation will offset its carbon footprint through the “Conservation of the Peruvian Amazon in Madre de Dios” Zero CO2 emissions programme project. This initiative aims to prevent the deforestation of 100,000 hectares of forest in the Vilcabamba-Amoro eco-corridor, an area in which endangered plant and animal species have their habitat. Its verification by CCBS-Gold also guarantees benefits to local communities and the sustainable development of local producers and indigenous communities.

Via the Zero CO2 emissions Eco-label and programme, ECODES works to enable Spanish companies and organizations to offset their carbon footprint. The compensation consists of a voluntary monetary contribution for each tonne of CO2 generated to a project that avoids or captures the same amount of CO2 in a developing country.

Electric cars

In addition to the aforementioned offset, the Princess of Asturias Foundation’s environmental commitment includes reducing its carbon footprint. Accordingly, this year it will have the use of one electric vehicle and two hybrid vehicles (electric/gasoline and gas/gasoline) on loan from the EDP Foundation, which will be used for staff to move around the city of Oviedo.

The main shareholder of the Hidroeléctrica del Cantábrico electricity generating company, EDP forms part of the Foundation’s Princess of Asturias Board of Trustees.